Tuesday, October 02, 2012

I've been wanting to make this recipe for years, ever since the silly name caught my eye. It was worth the wait. I'm usually all about seasonal recipes, and blueberries aren't exactly in season right now, but I couldn't possibly deny you the chance to make this goodness!

This is an old-timey recipe from the 1950s Pillsbury baking contest. The 15-year-old contestant named her cake after the effect she hoped it would have on boys. Isn't that cute? It's been through various adaptations through the years; I found the basis for this one on Smitten Kitchen. The texture is like a cross between coffee cake and cornbread, and the flavor is simple, sweet, and lets the blueberries shine. The best part is the crunchy cinnamon sugar topping. You might think there's way too much of it when you're dousing the cake batter, but it's right, I promise!

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated and scraping down bowl.

3. Reduce speed to medium and beat in 1/3 of flour mixture until incorporated; beat in half of milk. Beat in half of remaining flour mixture, then remaining milk, and finally remaining flour mixture.

4. Toss blueberries with remaining 1 tsp flour.

5. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in blueberries, then spread batter into prepared pan.

6. Scatter blueberries over the top of batter. Stir sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl and sprinkle over the batter.

7. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Cool in pan 20 minutes, then turn out and place on a serving platter, topping side up. Serve warm or at room temperature.